Snowplow



Au 9, 1932. AX N 1,870,591

SNOWPLOW Filed July 3, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVEA/Ta FRANK SA XON 6M fi- -l Maw Arron/vars F. SAXON Aug. 9, 1932.

SNOW PLOW Filed July 5, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I IWIJHUI .lllllilifll.

FRANK J'AXON W $4 M M JTTOENEYS' F. SAXON Aug. 9, 1932.

SNOWPLOW Filed July 5, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Aug. 9, 1932 v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE mun-x SAXON, F WORTHINGTON', TA

snowrnow Application as m 3, 1930. Serial are. 485,585.

This invention relates to snowplows, and concerns improvements over mechanisms shown in my prior Patent No. 1,638,708fof August 9th, 1927. One of the difliculties encountered in using devices of the class herein is that of preventing lateral drift of the device and motor vehicle which operates it, particularly when negotiating heavy snow. The present invention, therefore, includes as one of its objects, the provision of plow-like rudder means adapted to engage the snow in advance of the device to guide the device and also perform a plowing action, and further adapted to guide the apparatus in correspondence to motions of the steering wheels of the vehicle to which it is attached.

Features of the invention include all details of construction, along with the broader ideas of rudder-like plow means applied to a device of this kind, for "the purposes set forth.

Objects, features and advantages will appear in the description of the drawings forming a partof this application, and in said drawings Figure 1 is a top plan view illustrating the application of my invention to a plow of the general type shown in my prior patent;

Figure 2 is a side elevation, partly in sec-.

tion, further illustrating the device;

Figure 2, illustrating gatherers attached;

Figure 7 is a diagrammatic side elevation corresponding to Figure 6, and illustrating the connection of the device with a vehicle;

and

Figure a detail section on line 8-8 of 18 brace the bearings.

the form of a gear casing. .The casing 10 Figure 3, illustrating the knife-edge construction of the spiral conveyor, by which a shearing action is obtained.

Referring first to Figures 2' and 3:'The casing which forms the scoop is generally indicated at 1, and the inclined lower scoop portion at 2. This cross-sectional configuration of the scoop is illustrated in dotted lines in Figures 2 and 7. This metallic scoop element is suitably reinforced as at 3, in this case by angle irons. Vertical plates cap the ends of the element 1, to form a kind of scoop-chamber, having dimensions which are best shown in Figure 3, and extending the full width of the machine. Stifiening elements 5 cross-connect the plates 4 at the top, as shown in Figure 3, and shoes 6 are attached to the bottom to extend forwardly of thefront cutting edge 7 of the scoop. Two scoops are actually formed, one lying at each opposite side of a conveying and ejecting means, in this instance comprising a fan li e structure including a cylindrical fan casin extending rearwardly of the scoop, and aving an upwardly directed tangential extension 11 communicating with a rotatable ejec-' tor hood or elbow 12, by means of which the snow, after delivery into the casing 10, is caused, by means of the fan 15, to be thrown to a point laterally or rearwardly of the machine? This fan is mounted on a cross-shaft 16, held in bearings 17 and 18, both of which are supported by the cas' 1. Suitable rods The bearing 17 has has in its opposite side walls, openings 19. The fan includes arms 22 to'which the fan blades 23 are attached. The formation of the fan blades is a feature of this invention, and provides means whereby, after the material has been delivered by the screw conveyors 24 (described below) into the tubular exten- 'sions, it is received from these conveyors, and pulled inwardly toward the center of the fan so that the fan can properly act on the ma terial, To this end, each fan blade 23 has at each vertically disposed edge, a curved extension 25. These extensions are seen in Figure 3, where they are shown as of less length than the blade, and as entering the 111? bearing casings 17, and 18. The terminal portions ofthe auger are disposed as near as 'ble to the curved elements 25.

e fan, and augers 24 are mounted on the same shaft 16. The angers 24 act to feed the snow inwardly from opposite sides of the fan easing, into. that casing and into the path of the scoops 25 and blades 23. Shaft 16 is driven by bevel gears 3-1 -32. Gear 32 is on I drive shaft 34, see Figturej. This shaft 34 8 is the main drive sha and is connected in any suitable manner with power mechanism 1 of the vehicle, not-shown. This drive shaft is jou'rnaled in an extension 36 of the bearing casing 17. Plates 40 are. mounted on the fan casin and "extend forwardly, as best shown in i re 1, and have forwardly convergentportions which are attached to a vertioally disposed channel .iron 46. These portions form a kind of share, adapted to re- 80 ceive and spreadthe snow laterall into the a path of the au ers. The channel irons supportupperandlowerbearings4748,thebearlugs 48 including a'vertical pin 49 which'enters the lower end of the tubular member 50 i 35 and forms a pivot therefor. The upper end I of this tubular member 50 is rotatable in the bearing 47. The tubular member supports a central plow-like rudder having a rudder portion 51 and the plow-likerudder portion 40 52. The plow point and guiding edgepf this rudder is-arranged in advance of the other mechanism, and is adapted to facilitate guiding of the apparatus, when operating on snow. The rudder action is analo- 45 gous to the plow action, in that the plow and rudder elements lie forwardly of the body being guided, and act in advance of the pivotal element 50, rather than rearwardly thereof as on water craft. 'The rudder action is like that of a ships rudder, when the vessel is backin In addition to the plow-like rud der just escribed, two additional rudders, res ctivel indicated at 55-56, are employed. ne of t ese additional rudders is vertically 55 arranged at each transverse extremity of the *frame, and pivoted for motion around a ver- .tical axis by means of suitable bracket pivotsf 57 supported by the cross iron 5 and plates 4, and-pivot pins 57 t. The action of these rudders is somewhat the same as that of the first mentioned rudder. Connections are providedfor moving the rudders in unison, all in a corresponding direction. Referring to Figures 1, 2 and 6: this means includes the vertical shaft60, centrally arranged at the rods ber 50 is connected a third crossarm 69 and the corresponding arms of these'elements 66, 67 and 69 are connected for movement in unison b rods 70. The arm 68 is connected by By these connections the motions of the pivoted arms follow the motions of the reach rod and the connections are such that the'rudder motion corresponds in degree and direction with the motion of the wheels of the vehicle, as illustrated in.Figure 6. 4

At the bottom of the slanting portions 45 are share-like elements 80 arranged rearwardly of the central rudder and plow 52, in a manner to receive snow which is plowed up by the rudder, and spread it laterally into the path of the angers. As before stated, the runners 6 are secured to the bottom of the side boards 4 and, if desired, a central runner ma be used. The runners are merely adapte u to obtain a comparatively small surface contact with the snow. The device as a whole may beheld in raised position slightly above the road by means of elements 85, see

patent above referred to.

1 with respective rudders 55 and 56.

Another important element of the invention is the rotary snow disintegrating means which is mounted on shaft 87 journaled in suitable bearings carried by the plates 40. This shaft extends laterally from these plates to a position forwardly of, and in this instance above, the scoop and helical conveyors. This shaft is provided with suitable arms 88 terminally supporting chopper-like devices 89. Pairs of these choppets are provided at each side of'the fan casing. The shaft 87 is driven (see F igure 2) from the shaft 34 by means of sprocket chain connection 90, shaft 91, and bevel gears 92.

Another feature of the invention relates to the formation of the edges of the conveyor and this is best illustrated in Figure 8. The peripheries of the conveyor are bent inwardly as shown at and have formed thereon a cutting edge 101. The edge acts to shear or shave off the snow, rather than scrape it. This formation of the peripheries of the conveyor which obtains this shear action is for operating the rudders fromthe vehicle, with which the snowplowds associated.

4. A device of the classdescribed adapted to be attached to the front of a motor vehicle and having asnow scoop, snow ejecting means arranged to receive snow .from the scoop, means adapted to remove the snow from the scoop to the ejector means, atherers arranged at the forward side 0 the scoop and diverging therefrom forwardly and adapted to move the snow inwardly towards the scoop, means detachably securing the gatherers in operative position, and a plowlike rudder means adapted to plow the snow in advance of the scoop and to guide the d-cvice.

5. A dvice of the class described adapted to be attached to the front of a motor vehicle and having a snow scoop, snow ejecting means, means adapted to move the snow from the opposite sides of the scoop toward the ejecting means, snow disintegrating means arranged at opposite sides of the transverse middle of the scoop, a pair of inclined plates arranged forwardly of said disintegrating means and adapted to direct the snow laterally in opposite directions toward the disintegrating means, and a rudder-plow arranged forwardly of said inclined plates and adapted to deliver snow to both inclined plates while performing its guiding and plowing function.

6. A device of the class described adapted to be attached to the front of a motor vehicle, ejection means adapted to receive snow from the scoop, means adapted to move the snow from the opposite sides of the scoop toward the ejecting means, snow-disintegrating means arranged at opposite sides of the transverse middle of the scoop, a rudder-plow ar ranged forwardly of the disintegrating means and adapted to deliver snow laterally to both sides and toward said disintegrating means while performing its guiding and plowing function, said disintegrator means being arranged forwardly of the scoop and not overlying the scoop.

7. A device of the class described adapted to be attached to the front of a motor vehicle, ejection means adapted to receive snow from the scoop, means adapted to move the snow from the opposite sides of the scoop toward the ejecting means, rotary snow-disintegrating means arranged at opposite sides of the transverse middle of the scoop, a rudder-plow arranged forwardly of the disintegrating means and adapted to deliver snow laterally to both sides and toward said disintegrating means while performing its guiding and plowing function, and said plow-like rudder extending at least to the level of the rotative axis of the disintegrating means.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 28th day of June, 1930.

. FRANK SAXON 

